


Strawberry Red

by saidno1ever



Series: Dork Detectives [1]
Category: Death Note, Death Note & Related Fandoms
Genre: Blood because BB is here, Gen, Language, Moirails
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-08 20:59:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1955952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saidno1ever/pseuds/saidno1ever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beyond was drowning, luckily L knew how to swim</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strawberry Red

Beyond Birthday could barely contain his excitement as a chill swept through him and he began fidgeting restlessly. He was drenched in red, dripping and smiling like the blood-crazed maniac he had become.  
That’s right “become”. He had not always been this way. Beyond went momentarily still as the thoughts entered his mind. He had been civilized, he had fit right into human society, but so much had happened so much had corrupted and twisted him into a… a… god of death.  
Beyond was riled once again by the faint sound of footsteps. He gripped his knife so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and an excited growl escaped his throat. Then a shadow cast itself in front of him, slowly shrinking until it connected to a pair of feet.  
The body belonged to a teenage boy, about seventeen. He was wearing a light blue hoodie, and skinny jeans, while seemingly walking to the beat of his IPod. Beyond smirked and stepped forward just as the boy walked by. He trusted the shadows to hide the blood.  
“Yo, Owen! Wait up.”  
The boy, Owen Douglas, slowed and turned his head. Beyond slid his knife into a hidden angle behind his leg and jogged to catch up with him. Owen made a confused face as he tried to figure who this person was, after all they must’ve known each other from somewhere, if this man knew his name.  
Owen pulled an earplug out of his ear and asked, “Sorry, but who are you again?”  
“You don’t remember me?”  
“….You seem familiar…”  
“Remember, we met in a nightmare. You were running and I was chasing you.” Beyond said with a cheerful smile.  
Owen could’ve sworn he misheard him, until the raven-haired stranger laughed and held a knife up beside his face. Owen’s eyes widened with fear and he turned, breaking into a run.  
Beyond threw his head back and cackled, “Deja-vu!”  
Owen risked a glance behind him and nearly screamed when he saw the knife flying at him. He didn’t dodge in time, and the knife plunged itself just beneath his ribs. When it did, he really did scream and fall onto his stomach. Beyond pounced on him, giggling crazily.  
He ripped the knife out, while straddling Owen’s torso. He pretended to lick the bloody weapon slowly and purred with pure delight, “Your insides taste delicious! What’s your secret?”  
“Man, get off me! You’re crazy!”  
“I don’t appreciate that, Captain Obvious.”, Beyond muttered playfully.  
“W-What are you gonna do to me?”  
“Hmm, well let’s see,” Beyond hummed then began to tick things off, “I pinned you down, I’ve got a giant knife, and you observed that I am crazy…. What do you think I’m going to do?”  
Owen whimpered and tried desperately to crawl away.  
“What’s wrong, Owen? Don’t you want to play?”  
“No! No, I don’t!”  
“Fine” Beyond chuckled, slowly raising the knife over his head, “You were no fun anyway.”

Beyond cackled as he rolled around in the large puddle of dark red goodness. The body was nearby, completely still and cut to ribbons. Beyond couldn’t have stopped laughing if he wanted to, everything was just so funny! His whole body convulsed with the force of his laughter, and he didn’t even flinch when the abandoned knife nicked his leg.  
Suddenly a crunching sound made him freeze. Beyond didn’t have time to even turn his head before something sharp pierced his neck. He flinched in surprise, and his crazed eyes were drawn to glowing red letters in the darkness.  
“…Wammy…?”  
Then another set of letters joined the first, and Beyond felt a rush of adrenaline along with an intense anger. He was on his feet before you could say “L”.  
Another shot of pain ran through his body, and his head swam with fog. Beyond’s limbs turned to stone, but his head felt light. He stumbled forward and fell face first onto the concrete.

L looked up when Watari entered the room with a glass of water and a clear bowl full of candy, “He hasn’t stirred yet. Even though that second dart was called for, I think it may have had too strong of an effect on him.”  
“Well, if my timing is right he should be rousing in an hour or two.” He handed the bowl to L and set the water on the counter. L plucked one out and popped it onto his tongue.  
“Would you like me to remain here when he wakes up?”  
“Yes, please. Beyond is still very much unstable so, if he attacks me you’ll need to step in.”  
Watari made a worried face and opened his mouth to say something, but L held up a finger. Beyond was moving. He groaned and slowly twisted onto his side, his back giving a satisfying crack.  
“What the fuck happened?” Beyond groaned to no one in particular. His eyes opened just a crack and he peered around as if in a daze. Then he saw them.  
Watari tensed for a fight, but L merely ate another piece of candy.  
“You” Beyond rasped, pushing himself into a sitting position.  
“Hello B.”  
“Lawliet, I haven’t seen you since you visited me at the loony bin.”  
“Oh, you remember that? The doctors told me you were unaware of your surroundings. But I suppose I did not expect that to be completely true.”  
Beyond smiled, and cocked his head almost thoughtfully, “Oh no Lawliet, I had a very strong grip on reality indeed, just with my own little touch.” He threw a glance at the glass of water, “Is that for me?”  
“Yes, I thought you might appreciate a drink.”  
Beyond lifted it from the dresser and poured it on his own head. L and Watari blinked in speechless unison.  
“Now we’re even.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“You have your weapon, I have mine.” Beyond cracked the glass on the edge of the dresser and pointed the sharp, jagged end at L. At the same time, L pointed the tranquilizer he had been concealing at Beyond.  
“Beyond there is no need for violence.” Watari said, taking a small step forward.  
Beyond laughed an insane high-pitched laugh, “There is always a need for violence in me, Mr. Wammy.”  
L lowered his gun and offered the bowl of candy instead.  
“I don’t want your stupid candy.” Beyond growled, dropping the glass and standing up. He shuffled to the door, roughly seized the doorknob and proceeded to tear the door right off its hinges.  
“Damn it, L. Now you got me all wound up.” He muttered, dropping the door.  
“You’ve gotten exceptionally stronger, Beyond. Have you been working out?” L asked, a hint of astonishment lining his tone. That had been a five inch steel door after all.  
“Actually, no. Did I ever tell you about my parents?”  
“Other than the fact that they died and never loved you? No.”  
“Alright! But I’m not going to tell you while Mr. Wammy can hear me.”  
Both men looked at Watari.  
“Are you sure it’s alright, L? He just ripped the door off its hinges….”  
“That wasn’t my fault!”  
“Yes, I’ll be fine.”  
Watari lingered for a few seconds before nodding and disappearing down the hall. Beyond smiled and dropped back down onto the bed.  
“Alright, well my mom was a normal woman who did normal human shit and blah. But she didn’t know that a death god was always watching over her-“  
“Death god?”  
“Don’t interrupt me!” Beyond snapped, his voice echoing down the hall.  
“So, anyway one day she ran into a bit of trouble, and the death god had to save her. He knew of the consequences of using his “special tool” so he decided to drop down into earth and save her himself. And afterward, even though he was mad ugly, she immediately fell in love with him. Then BOOM they made me.”  
L examined a blue striped candy, before asking, “So your father was a god of death?”  
“Yes.”  
“You must be more unstable than I thought.”  
Beyond stared. The first person he had ever told about his past didn’t even believe him. Beyond rose to his feet slowly, “Do you see my eyes? Did you not just behold my strength? Are you fucking stupid!”  
L blinked, “I’m logical. But I suppose if the supernatural did exist, that story would explain your unusual traits.”  
Beyond sighed, in an attempt to calm himself down before asking, “Why did you kidnap me anyway?”  
“Obviously, to keep you from murdering anyone else. The public is terrified, Beyond. You’ve killed twenty-eight people within these past two months.”  
“I know. If you think kidnapping me will solve anything you’re wrong. If I kill you, I kill millions.”  
L nodded, “I am well aware.”  
“Then why aren’t you running?” Beyond growled, though his lips twitched into a smile.  
“You won’t kill me.”  
“Won’t I?” Beyond leapt forward, ready to snap L’s neck then there was a tranq-dart in his leg. He tumbled to the floor, cursing, then glared up at L.  
“Did you forget?”  
“Shut up.”  
Beyond saw Watari enter out of the corner of his eye, and didn’t struggle when he was lifted back onto the bed. He was still fully conscious, he was simply paralyzed. Pretty impressive for someone who had taken three tranq-darts within the past six hours.  
“The paralyzing affects will wear off in a few hours. Until then, I suggest you reflect on your actions.” L said, and… was that a hint of a scold in his voice?  
Was L telling Beyond Birthday what to do?  
Beyond felt himself trembling with the scorching amount of anger burning through him. The only thing keeping him in place was the strong chemicals now streaming through his veins. He wanted nothing more than to plunge his knife in L’s stupid face, to cut straight down through his bony torso and just dig and dig until his hands were co-  
Beyond fell asleep.

L relaxed. He had been beginning to feel actual terror from the way Beyond’s eyes were boring into him. It was as if he could see the things Beyond was planning to do to him.  
“Shall I get out the restraints?” Watari asked, disturbing his train of thought.  
L looked Beyond over, then looked at the door “No. If Beyond gets upset enough, I’m sure he’d have no problem breaking out of them.”  
“And as for the door?”  
“How long will it take to fix?”  
“Perhaps a few hours.”  
That wasn’t good, there was no telling exactly when Beyond would wake up now. L ate a few more of the sugary treats before deciding, “I’ll just watch him with the cameras. No doubt the next time he wakes up, he is going to be a little more than irritated.”  
Watari nodded, “I’ll be up after I clean up this mess.”  
L handed over the tranq-gun then stood and exited the room.

L thought long and hard as he sat in front of his computers. One screen showed Beyond, still unconscious on his temporary bed, and the other was the long list of his victims that L was painstakingly piling through.  
All the murders were gruesome and merciless, very unlike Beyond’s first three victims. There was no logic, no organization, just gallons of blood. L stopped on one particular case where the victim had had all their limbs amputated, then had been enucleated and left to bleed out.  
The victim had been a woman in her late thirties, she had no known enemies or rivals, lived alone and had a good job at the local library. This case had probably been what clued the police onto a serial killer. After all, who would murder someone so innocent in such a brutal manner, without having a single vendetta?  
A psychopath, who had probably been the cause of the previous murders, was a likely candidate.  
L exhaled slowly and continued scrolling. The youngest victim had been thirteen. A teenage boy, returning home from a party he wasn’t supposed to be at. He had the unfortunate luck of being caught in the rain at night, and had his stomach and throat slit open, but that wasn’t the worst part. His intestines had been pulled out and stuffed into his mouth as most likely a makeshift gag.  
Beyond’s motives were questionable. Was he killing for fun, was he trying to be artistic or was he leaving clues that no one could decipher? After seeing him tonight, L immediately pegged it as the first. Beyond had become an extreme danger to society and obviously needed help.

It was around nine in the morning when L noticed Beyond’s eyes were open. He watched for a moment, waiting to see what the other would do, but Beyond wasn’t moving at all.  
After a few minutes, L called Watari and alerted him.  
“I’m going down to talk to him.”  
Watari nodded, “Be careful.”  
“I will.” L suddenly stopped and added, “Would you mind fixing us some breakfast?”  
“Certainly”  
“Thank you.”

Beyond still hadn’t shifted from his position when L entered the room. L kept at a safe distance, just in case,  
“Beyond? Are you awake?”  
There was no response. Beyond wouldn’t even look at him.  
“I suppose I’ll wait then.” L continued, leaning against the doorframe.  
Three minutes ticked by uneventfully, and L felt his patience wearing thin. He dipped a hand in his pocket to ensure that his backup tranquilizer was still there, before circling the bed.  
The first thing to catch his attention was like always, Beyond’s eyes. Instead of holding their usual fiery gleam they were a flat and emotionless. L found this interesting. Upon a little closer inspection L saw that they were also glazed over, it almost looked as if Beyond were sleeping with his eyes open.  
“Where am I?” Beyond suddenly spoke, his voice coming out low and raspy.  
“In technical terms you are in the quiet room.”  
Beyond either didn’t catch the sarcasm or ignored it “…L?”  
“Yes. That would be me.”  
There was something off about him. He was extremely different from how he was last time. Less emotional, less himself. L was a little unnerved by it. Beyond wasn’t even blinking.  
“I want…”  
L waited a little longer before pushing “What do you want?”  
Beyond gasped suddenly and brought his hand up to clench the front of his black t-shirt. L stared, hand gripping the tranq-gun.  
“Beyond?” He hated the way his voice waivered. L tried again, “Beyond?”  
By now, Beyond was clawing at himself, and making small whimpering noises. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw so hard L thought it might pop. The noises grew louder and louder until it was almost akin to a scream. Beyond looked as if he was in pain.  
L backed up to the doorway and yelled, “Watari, come quick!”  
Beyond abruptly stopped, and the sudden silence was deafening. He sat up faster than L’s eyes could track and glared straight at him. There was life in his eyes now, burning and angry but life none the less. L almost relaxed.  
Suddenly Watari appeared at the end of the hall. He looked very worried.  
“What’s going on?”  
L wasn’t sure how to answer that, “Never mind. It seems Beyond is back to normal.”  
“Normal?” Beyond growled, and L wasn’t sure how that offended him.  
“I apologize for calling you, Watari.”  
Watari looked between the two boys suspiciously before turning and walking away.  
“Are you saying I’m only normal when I’m yelling at you!” Beyond snapped.  
“You weren’t moving, I assumed something was wrong.”  
“Most people don’t move when they’re asleep, Lawliet. But I guess you wouldn’t know that!”  
L sighed, “Your eyes were open and you talked to me.”  
Beyond paused for a second, stunned and confused, “No, I didn’t. I just woke up.”  
L decided that he wasn’t in the mood for such pointless arguing. He opened his mouth to change the subject but Beyond beat him to it.  
“Where’s my knife?”  
“I’m sure it’s around here somewhere.”  
“Don’t mess with me! I’ll pull you apart with my bare hands!”  
L nodded calmly, “I just thought maybe you’d like some breakfast first.”  
Beyond opened his mouth then closed it, his expression turning to one of suspicion, “First you kidnap me, then you shoot me with an animal tranquilizer, and now you’re offering me breakfast?”  
“I’ve already explained why I brought you here, and I wouldn’t have sedated you if you hadn’t attempted to kill me.”  
The two stared each other down until Beyond finally shrugged, “Okay, I see your point.”  
He slid off the bed, stretched then began walking toward L, “I wouldn’t have tried to kill you, if you had just made me your successor in the first place.”  
L rolled his eyes as he walked out of the room. He wasn’t in the mood for this conversation, it would undoubtedly end with him having to tranquilize Beyond once more, and that could be potentially dangerous to his health.


End file.
